"...And a great and strong wind rent the mountains,
and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord;
but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;
but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire:
and after the fire a still small voice."
-1 Kings 19:11-12
A few months ago as I was in my kitchen planning the menu for the week,
I felt the calm nudging to contact a friend.
I noted the prompting but never followed through.
The next day I felt the same promoting and listened to the voice,
but I didn't call my friend.
I recognized this voice as the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost speaks to us and reveals God's will for us,
and knowing this you'd think I would have jumped at the prompting.
But I didn't.
Then last week I felt the same feelings I had felt months earlier;
I needed to contact my friend.
I even went to my phone to text her, but I didn't have her number
and then I thought, well I tried.
But I didn't try. I gave up.
Yesterday my Mom called me to let me know that this friend
of mine has breast cancer. My heart was broken.
Why didn't I listen to the Holy Ghost when I felt prompted
to call her in the first place.
In my life, I have been served and loved by so many who have listened
to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and I am forever grateful.
A favorite talk by Ronald A. Rasband came to mind,
particularly this part:
"We must be confident in our first promptings.
Sometimes we rationalize; we wonder
if we are feeling a spiritual impression or if it is just our own thoughts.
When we begin to second-guess, even third-guess,
our feelings—and we all have—we are dismissing the Spirit;
we are questioning divine counsel.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that if you will listen to the
first promptings, you will get it right nine times out of ten."
After family dinner last night I shared this experience with my children,
and how I so want for them to be able to recognize the Holy Ghost in
their lives. I shared with them how difficult it can be to listen to
the spirit when we live in a loud and busy world, or when we choose to
ignore the promptings of the spirit.
Mr. Nielson asked all the children to close their eyes and for one minute
and we were quiet and still so we could hear and feel.
Sometimes we all just need to be quiet so we can hear and feel,
and then act!
"May we live close to the Spirit, acting quickly upon our
first promptings, knowing they come from God.
I bear witness of the power of the Holy Ghost
to guide us, guard us, and ever be with us."
